Origin
Cave Creek, AZ
Late night in Cave Creek on Sunday
Local time
12:45 AM
MST
Current temp
85°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cave Creek, AZ to Phoenix, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
49m
Distance
31.9 mi
51 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cave Creek, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Phoenix, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick transition from the high desert charm of Cave Creek to the urban heart of Phoenix, this 32.6-mile route is a straightforward journey. Expect to spend about 43 minutes behind the wheel, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via North Tatum Boulevard, the Pima Freeway, and AZ 101 to connect these two Desert Southwest locations. With a fuel budget of just $6, this is an incredibly economical trek for commuters or weekend travelers. Because both the origin and destination are situated within the same region, you will experience a consistent desert landscape throughout the entire drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Piestewa Freeway | 14.5 mi | 17m |
| North Tatum Boulevard | 6.2 mi | 10m |
| East Cave Creek Road | 6 mi | 11m |
| North 7th Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Papago Freeway | 0.8 mi | <1m |
| East Washington Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Pima Freeway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Washington Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Piestewa Freeway
— 14.5 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cave Creek, AZ and Phoenix, AZ.
1
Start on East Cave Creek Road
6.0 mi
·
11 min
·
East Cave Creek Road
Use the left lane.
2
Turn left onto North Tatum Boulevard
6.2 mi
·
10 min
·
North Tatum Boulevard
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward AZ 101 Loop West
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Pima Freeway
5
Take the exit
1.3 mi
·
1 min
Exit 29B
Toward AZ 51 South
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Merge onto AZ 51
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Piestewa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
271 ft
·
5 sec
Toward I 10 West, AZ 202 Loop East: Los Angeles
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
39 sec
Toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 10
0.8 mi
·
55 sec
·
Papago Freeway
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 145A
Toward 7th Street
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward 7th Street South, Downtown Cultural/Sports Facilitles
Use the left lane.
12
Turn straight onto North 7th Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
North 7th Street
13
Turn right onto East Washington Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Washington Street
14
Arrive at destination
West Washington Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 31.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.9 miles from Cave Creek, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 12.8 and 30.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
12.8 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward AZ 51 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 29B
Toward AZ 51 South
7
28.7 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward I 10 West, AZ 202 Loop East: Los Angeles
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 10 West, AZ 202 Loop East: Los Angeles
7
28.8 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
7
30 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward 7th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 145A
Toward 7th Street
9
30.3 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Keep slight left at fork toward 7th Street South, Downtown Cultural/Sports Facilitles
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward 7th Street South, Downtown Cultural/Spor...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.35 one way
$12.71 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $6.73 | $13.45 |
| premium | $5.59 | $7.02 | $14.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.04 | $14.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.35 | $1.53 |
| Efficient EV | 8 | 0 | $2.79 | $1.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.47 | $2.04 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Phoenix, AZ
Late night in Phoenix on Sunday
Local time
12:45 AM
MST
Current temp
93°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
8 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
49m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention as you transition between residential streets and major thoroughfares. Unlike a monotonous interstate grind, this 32.6-mile path keeps you engaged with frequent shifts in traffic flow and direction. Since the route features 0% highway share in the traditional sense, you won't be spending much time cruising at high speeds on long, uninterrupted stretches. Instead, the personality of this drive is defined by its local character, requiring you to navigate city-style intersections as you move from the outskirts into the metropolitan area. It is a functional, practical route that prioritizes connection over scenic highway cruising.
49% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.5 mi on Piestewa Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 12.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 31.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 12.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Phoenix, AZ
Full guide →Founded 1868
Phoenix is the capital of the state of Arizona, the most populous city in the American Southwest. Warm and sunny winter weather have ensured a thriving tourism industry, and the city has become the region's primary political, cultural, economic, and transportation center. Phoenix is extremely hot and dry in the summertime, so always have sunscreen with you! It had about 1,625,000 residents in 2021, and is the fifth largest city in the United States.
Top landmarks
- • Arizona State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Arizona
- • Phoenix Art Museum — art museum in Phoenix, Arizona
- • St. Mary's Basilica — Roman Catholic church in Phoenix, Arizona
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 31.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.5 miles on Piestewa Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Phoenix, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 12.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Phoenix, AZ before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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